Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs were not allowed into the Delhi Assembly on Thursday, days after their suspension for causing disruptions in House proceedings. The legislators said that authorities had put up barricades at the gate, blocking their entry into the complex.
Leader of the Opposition Atishi went to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the action, saying that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had reached new heights of “dictatorship.”
“AAP MLAs were suspended from the House for three days for raising slogans of ‘Jai Bhim’. And today, they are not even being allowed to enter the Vidhan Sabha premises. This has never happened in the history of the Delhi Assembly,” she wrote.
देश के इतिहास में पहली बार है जब चुने हुए विधायकों को विधानसभा परिसर में अंदर जाने से रोका जा रहा है। अभी तक पुलिस ने हमें कोई आदेश नहीं दिखाया। ये भाजपा की तानाशाही है।
हमने “जय भीम” के नारे लगाए तो हमें विधान सभा परिसर से ही बाहर कर दिया। भाजपा बाबा साहेब अंबेडकर से नफ़रत… pic.twitter.com/x0olgHOJUF
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) February 27, 2025
Atishi Confronts Police, Demands to See Orders
Outside the Delhi Assembly, Atishi clashed with police officers after they stopped her and other AAP MLAs from entering. She asked the officers for the directive limiting their entry and sought to see the order in writing.
“Sir, what is the matter? Show me the order. Who gave the order?” she had asked. The police replied that the Speaker had given the order. But Atishi was not impressed, asking further, “Where is it written that MLAs cannot enter? Show us the official document.”
BJP Defends Suspension, Calls AAP’s Actions Disruptive
Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma meanwhile stood up for the suspension, stating that AAP MLAs had disrupted the proceedings of the House. “They (AAP MLAs) cannot raise slogans when the LG is addressing the House. If they break the laws like this, it is not good,” Verma said.
Despite the BJP government’s previous assurance to introduce all 14 outstanding Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports during the current Assembly session, none were introduced in the Delhi Assembly today. Officially, though, it was hinted that one of the reports could be introduced on Friday.
21 AAP MLAs Suspended Over Liquor Policy Uproar
Earlier this week, 21 AAP MLAs led by former Chief Minister Atishi were suspended by the Delhi Assembly during a heated debate on a CAG report regarding the now-scrapped liquor policy introduced by AAP when it was ruling the city. The policy had already sparked the arrest of various senior AAP leaders, such as party chief Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
The CAG report, placed in the Assembly by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, pinpointed financial discrepancies in the liquor policy, and it was found that it resulted in a revenue loss of Rs 2,002 crore to the Delhi government.
Key Financial Gaps Pointed Out in CAG Report
The CAG report for 2017-18 to 2020-21 pointed out major financial lapses in the execution of the liquor policy:
- The government of Delhi lost Rs 890 crore in revenue because it failed to re-tender surrendered liquor licenses.
- The delays in remedial measures cost another Rs 941 crore from exemptions to zonal licensees.
- A controversial Rs 144 crore waiver was extended to liquor licensees from December 28, 2021, to January 27, 2022, due to COVID-19 restrictions.
These revelations have also worsened political tensions, with the BJP complaining of AAP misrule and corruption.
AAP MLAs Protest Against Erasure of Ambedkar’s Picture
AAP MLAs responded to the allegations by stating that their protest was against the erasure of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s picture from the Chief Minister’s chamber and the Delhi Secretariat. They questioned the priorities of the ruling party, asking if it holds Prime Minister Narendra Modi in higher esteem than Ambedkar.
As the impasse persists, the political mood in Delhi continues to be electric, with AAP leaders accusing the BJP of crushing opposition voices and undermining democratic tenets. For its part, the BJP is insisting that it is upholding accountability and discipline in governance.
With tensions between BJP and AAP escalating in the Delhi Assembly, the days ahead are expected to see more encounters and political moves by both parties. The debate over governance, transparency, and democratic rights continues to dominate Delhi politics.
